Vitalik Buterin has made it clear that he holds the authority over the Ethereum Foundation. In a recent post on X, he dismissed calls for a leadership change.
He stated that any decisions about leadership are his to make, at least until they can set up a proper board. Buterin also criticized some members of the crypto community for being toxic and harmful to top talent.
This comes amid growing pressure from the community to promote Danny Ryan, a researcher and developer in the Ethereum ecosystem. At the same time, Aya Miyaguchi, the current executive director, has faced criticism. Buterin strongly condemned the harassment and threats directed at Miyaguchi, calling it “pure evil.”
In his post, Buterin responded directly to those pushing for Ryan to take on a leadership role. He made it clear that this responsibility lies solely with him. Supporters of Ryan highlight his significant contributions to Ethereum, particularly his leadership in the transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake.
They believe Ryan’s expertise aligns well with Ethereum’s long-term goals, making him a suitable candidate for leadership, despite Buterin’s stance.
However, the ongoing debate has revealed a darker side of the Ethereum community. Buterin specifically addressed the harassment aimed at Miyaguchi, who has been in her role since 2018. She has faced targeted attacks online, with some community members blaming her for perceived inefficiencies. One user even shockingly asked, “Why don’t we kill Aya?”
Buterin condemned this toxic behavior. He warned that it risks driving away top talent and creating a counterproductive environment. He expressed frustration over the social media pressures, saying, “Some of Ethereum’s best devs have been messaging me recently, expressing their disgust with the social media environment that people like you are creating. YOU ARE MAKING MY JOB HARDER. And you are decreasing the chance I have any interest whatsoever in doing ‘what you want.’”
On January 18, Buterin announced significant changes in the foundation’s leadership to improve communication with builders in the ecosystem. He outlined goals like supporting decentralized application developers, ensuring censorship resistance, enhancing privacy, and promoting decentralization. This announcement contrasts with his claim of sole authority over the foundation made just two days later.
In that earlier post, Buterin clarified that the foundation would not engage in ideological shifts, political lobbying, or take a more central role in developing the Ethereum ecosystem.